TROY JOHNSON Director of Transportation/Safety Gallipolis City School District, Ohio
Little did Troy Johnson
know, that when he grad- uated from Gallipolis City School District in 1989, that he would be back a mere 12 years later. Johnson holds an
associate degree in police science, and a bachelor’s degree in Christian
ministry. He is also a graduate of the Northwestern University Center for Public Safety, Police Staff and Command course. He served as an Ohio State Troop- er obtaining the rank of lieutenant while also being in command the Motor Carrier Enforcement Division. “My background and experience in law enforcement
has proved to be beneficial in the enforcement of our transportation policies and laws,” said Johnson, who began his pupil transportation career in 2009 when he accepted the transportation and safety director position for Gallipolis. “There is no better honor than to be able to give back to the school that has given so much to me.” Johnson is also a commissioned police officer with
the City of Gallipolis and a deputy sheriff with Gallia County Sheriff’s Department. He is active in teaching school safety and holds instructor certificates from the ALICE Training Institute. “Balancing time can be challenging as most people know,” Johnson admitted. “Developing systems based
on accountability and efficiency will allow for a persons’ time to be spent where and when it is needed most.” In addition to having served in various organizations,
such as the Southeastern Ohio Safety County and the Gallia County Local Emergency Planning Committee, he is also currently the president and owner of two success- ful property management and consulting companies. “My day is probably like that of most transportation
supervisors,” said Johnson, who lives in Gallipolis with his wife and three children [pictured]. “I spend most of the day trying to help parents and students. My day is centered around making sure that we are delivering the best product that we can to our community.” He said his favorite part of the job is listening to driv-
ers tell stories about the impact they have in students’ lives. “Never underestimate the amount of influence that you have or the impact that a kind word has on a student,” he advised. Johnson is focused on modernizing the district’s bus
fleet. “If you pursue perfection, you will catch excellence,” Johnson said of advice that has proved to be true in his own life. “If you worry about the small problems, you will never have to worry about the big problems. Pass on to others the knowledge that was freely given to you so that they can achieve greater things than you, this is the measure of a true leader. Lastly, have a grateful and humble spirit respecting everyone, for they know something you do not.”
ANTHONY SHIELDS Assistant Director of Transportation Hays Consolidated Independent School District, Texas
Anthony Shields’ grand-
father, a retired chief of police, once drove school buses when his grandson was a child. Wanting to be just like him, Shields had an opportunity to drive buses after graduating college. “Like most,
once you start bleeding yellow there is
no turning back,” Shields said. Going on 14 years in the industry, he said every day is a new adventure. “I think most of us in the field could agree that no day is the same,” said Shields, who is currently the assistant director of transportation at Hays CISD. “I spend a lot of my day overseeing the operations of our transportation department … This could be any- thing from driving a bus, going to bus stops for
48 School Transportation News • OCTOBER 2021
concerns, observing campus loading zones, meeting with parents and campus staff, and most recently getting buses stuck out of the mud.” Shields added that he loves being able to solve prob- lems that first seem impossible. “There are many days in our world, where the puzzle pieces need to be put to- gether in order to make the wheels on the bus go round,” he explained. Filiberto Bonilla, the director of transportation for Hays
CISD, said in his nomination of Shields that he has been instrumental in revamping key procedures in the trans- portation department. This includes the implementation of student accountability software, moving operational tasks to online platforms, creating a school bus camera replacement plan, opening a new transportation facility, and applying for alternative fuel grants. “Anthony has a great rapport with district staff and
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